What was it?

[Schmeeky]

Spotted a bizarre beast yesterday - a Golf (Mk 2 I think) on really high suspension and chunky tires, and had a sort of bull-bar contraption on the back holding a spare wheel.

I only got a brief glimpse of it, but it didn't look 'modified', and surely it's too mad to have been factory...

Anyone out there know what I'm talking about?

Cheers

[m4tthew]

Yep, its called a Golf Country.

[Dr G]

Proof the Germans do have a sense of humour

[Schmeeky]

Thanks Matt - I hate seeing a car and not knowing what it is... But I think a more pertinent question here is not what, but why...

[Dr G]

2CV rival for snobs?

4 seats, room for a (pedigree) sheep in the boot and will go across ploughed fields.

[istoo]

one of my pals has imported two. Had them for a number of years. Not at all common in the UK, a few dozen at the most i believe.

Got a golf Gti 8v engine and most part running gear, great big slide bars run under and around it. A variant of the synchro also available on the mk2. I am not a VW nut but my pal is. Been for a run in it, very capable offroad, unlike most of the 4x4's its light so its seriously impressive some area (notably snow / forestry tracks).

Edited by istoo on Wednesday 30th April 14:25

[Schmeeky]

Blimey, if it's that rare I'm glad I spotted it!
It does seem a bit of an odd-ball, but I suppose it was around before the proliferation of all these mini 4x4's...
I had a google of it, and found there were about 7,700 made altogether, but couldn't find out much about the drive-train, apart from Styer-Daimler-Puch (sp) had something to do with it.

[carrotchomper]

I think there's a green one that gets parked on Alma Rd in Bristol a lot.

[istoo]

it is identical to the synchro runnign gear and i am lead to beleive by my pal who owns two that its almost all golf gti 8v parts. nearly everything is shared. So its rare and not that much of an pita to run.

both my pals are LHD ones, i dont believe it was ever a UK car. And even in VW land its pretty oddball, therefore i love it

[Dr G]

I know of just one right hand drive car, owned by a fellow that bimbles around Club GTI - homebrew conversion rather than factory.